Heart Of The Ocean
by areweilluminated
Summary: In the year 1912, Nick and Jeff get much more than thy bargained for when they set foot on the R.M.S. Titanic. This is the story of the ups and downs of their relationship, and their not so happy ending.
1. April 10th

******Heart of the Ocean- A Niff Fic. **

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April 10th, 1912 (Day of Departure)

All he could hear was screaming. Getting louder and louder. He heard laughing, the cackling sound sending shivers down his spine. It was all closing in on him, smothering him. His lungs were burning and his eyes watering as he struggled to catch his breath. The white noise reached a crescendo as it boomed in his ears. He could feel his throat constricting, more and more until-

"Nicholas!"

He shot up in his bed, a thin layer of sweat covering his body. He panted. It was just a nightmare. Nick let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He looked around the room, taking in his surroundings. He was in a small room, decorated with dark red wallpaper that covered every wall. The small window was covered by a thin piece of cloth that could barely pass as a curtain, but it was all they had. As his senses slowly came back to him, Nick realised that he was in his grandmother's cottage. Unlike his parents, she had saved her money wisely. Opting for a small cottage in the countryside rather than the large house Nick had just moved out of.

"Nicholas? Are you okay darling?" A woman appeared in the doorway of his bedroom. She wore a long day dress, perfect down to the trimmed ribbon. Her chestnut hair hung in tight curls, barely reaching her shoulders and framing her heart shaped face. Her lips were stained bright red, contrasting with the pale skin of her face and neck. Her eyebrows were knitted together as she look down upon her son with deep hazel eyes, a concerned look on her face. "I heard shouting".

Nick groaned, rubbing the skin between the middle of his eyebrows with his index and middle finger. "Fine mother, nightmare".

"Oh Nicholas..." The women exclaimed, "Not again surely? That's the third time this week", she said, coming to perch on the edge on the bed.

"It's nothing. Probably just the stress of moving to a different country so suddenly", Nick replied, sarcasm evident from his tone.

The woman sighed, exasperated. "Sweetheart, you have to understand. This will be so much better for us. This job that you're father has will be so much better. We'll have money. We'll be happy. Do this for your father".

"Why should I when all father cares about is turning me into a 'proper' gentlemen with a well-paying job and a wife? He doesn't care about me or Emily. He cares about his reputation", Nick snapped, swinging his legs out of the small bed.

"Nicholas! You know very well that your father cares about you and your sister. Please Nicholas, you have to understand that this is the only option we have at the moment! You don't want to end up living under a bridge, do you?" Nick watched as his mother stepped around the bed and pace towards him, placing a delicate hand on his cheek. "Please don't be upset".

It was Nick's turn to sigh. "Very well then", he supposed. "What time are we leaving?"

"We need to be at the dock for 10 'o' clock. Be ready for half past nine", his mother replied, turning to leave. However, she stopped, turning to face her son once more, "Smile. Things will be better once we get to America".

Upon finishing her sentence, she spun on her heel and strolled out of the room, leaving Nick to his thoughts.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

In the dingy pub facing the currently crowded docks sat four men. Two of which had a look of glee on their faces as they won game after game of cards. The other two, however, looked slightly less pleased as they handed over to slips of paper.

"Fine, you win. Take the tickets", one grunted, anger flickering in his young eyes.

"Yes, enjoy your maiden voyage", the other chimed sarcastically.

The men left the building, trudging grumpily out of the door. The two men leftover, slightly younger than the previous two, jumped up in delight, yelling happily at the top of their voices.

"We did it", said the dark-skinned man, grabbing his taller friend by the shoulders and shaking him. "We won the game!"

"We're going to America!" Replied the taller male, his blonde hair bouncing as he continued to jump. "I'm going home!"

"Wait. We don't have any of our things!" The man, who went by the name of David, halted his jumping.

"Do we have time to go get them?" His friend, Jeff, replied.

"Who cares man? We're going to America!" David laughed,

"I get to see my mom!" Jeff cried. He glanced at the grandfather clock sitting in the corner of the room. "Shit! It's already eleven thirty! We have to go!"

He set off in a sprint, clutching the worn hat on his head in one hand and gripping David's arm with the other. They ran through the crowds to the steps that were leading up to the third-class section of the boat.

"Have you been checked for lice?" A man asked at the door.

"Yes, about fifteen minutes ago", Jeff replied, thrusting the tickets into the man's waiting hands and took off down the hallway. Throwing a quick shout of thanks over his shoulder to the man's cry of his room number, he dragged David to the room. Flinging the door open, he looked inside. He was greeted by the sight of two men unpacking their things. They looked up, startled.

"Hey", Jeff said breathlessly, "Nice to meet you. I'm Jeff", he stuck out a hand for one of the men to shake. The slightly shorter male smiled politely and shook his hand.

"Blaine Anderson. Pleasure to meet you too", he said. He turned around and gestured to the other person, "And this is Kurt, my friend".

Kurt also took the offered hand and shook it vigorously. "I'm Kurt, nice to meet you".

Jeff went to speak but was interrupted by the sound of his friend skidding into the room. "Dude, we're leaving now! Come up to the deck and wave at all of the losers", David grinned.

"Sure man! You guys coming?" He asked, addressing Kurt and Blaine. They nodded, following the blonde as he ran out of the small room.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Oh dear, I don't understand why commoners feel the need to block our entry to the boat. Surely they've seen a boat before?" Nick's mother exclaimed as they walked up the steps to the first class deck. The crowd below them was cheering and waving to people they did and didn't know.

"It's just a boat", Nick sighed, "I don't see what's so amazing about it".

"Ah son, that's where you're wrong. This boat is unsinkable! It's made from the finest materials by the best men!" Nick grimaced as he felt his father's hand come down on his shoulder. His father was typically tall, dark and handsome but not someone to be messed with. He was the type of person to always be seeking perfection, even from his own family. He had tried on many occasions to shape and mould Nick into the type of man that he wanted him to be, never stopping to consider what Nick wanted.

Nick felt the knot in his stomach disappear as the man lifted his hand, instead choosing to rest it around his wife's shoulders. He scanned the exterior of the boat, watching the other people climb up the numerous sets of stairs. His eyes caught a flash of blonde and he settled his gaze on a man about his age running happily up to the boat. He looked as though he didn't have a care in the world, and Nick suddenly had the urge to know him. He carried on watching him until he disappeared into the boat, into the third-class section?

"Nicholas" His mother's voice brought him back to his senses for the second time that morning. She had the same concerned look on her face from the morning, "Are you alright?"

Nick looked back to where he saw the man. "Just fine", he breathed.

His mother shot him a suspicious look but said nothing of it. As they reached the top of the stairs she pulled the tickets out of a small black purse, handing them to the man waiting to greet them. He took them with a smile and called for someone to take them to their suite. As they followed, Nick couldn't help but take in his surroundings. The boat was magnificent, he wasn't going to lie. But it seemed to make the choking feeling that he always had intensify. He quickly swallowed the lump in his throat before any of those thoughts could take over his mind.

They reached the suite within a minute. The man opened the door and Nick's mother tipped his gratefully. The suite was large, well-furnished with dark crimson walls, much like at Nick's grandmother's. Two brown leather armchairs sat in the centre of the room, accompanied by a matching couch and a small oak table. The family's bags were piled high in the corner of the suite.

"Well then!" Nick's father exclaimed, "Let's unpack, shall we?"

Nick inwardly groaned. This was going to be the longest few weeks of his life.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The top deck was crowded with people of all classes, races, gender and ages. They gathered near the edge of the boat, waving to family members and strangers and friends and colleagues. The air was filled with obnoxious cheering. The ship's horn finally sounded, signalling the beginning of what would be the most iconic voyage to date.

The Titanic had finally set sail.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"You shouldn't smoke that much", Jeff said as he watched Kurt light up yet another cigarette.

"Why? How much damage can a couple of cigarettes really do?" Kurt replied, taking another drag.

"I don't know, but I'm sure it can't be good for you. What with all the smoke". Jeff replied, looking away from Kurt and at his surroundings instead. He was sat crossed legged on the lower deck, letting the sun's ray shine on his face.

"So where are you originally from?" He heard Kurt ask.

"Westerville, Ohio. My mom gave me up for adoption when I was ten because she was too poor to look after me. We kept in touch though. She wrote me a letter every month. She sent pictures too", he pulled a picture from his shirt pocket, showing it to Kurt.

"Is that you and her?" Kurt asked, smoke escaping from between his lips.

"Yeah, I was only two at the time. She's gorgeous don't you think?" He asked, slipping the photograph back into his pocket. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost it.

"Definitely, I bet you can't wait to see her", Kurt replied.

Jeff shook his head, grinning at the thought of being reunited with his mother. "I really can't", he paused, "So what's your deal? Where are you from?"

"Ohio, actually. But after my mom died my dad and I just travelled. I don't think after her death we stayed in a house for more than a year", Kurt explained, flicking the now finished cigarette into the sea.

Jeff nodded. "Did you meet Blaine before or after you got on the ship?" He asked.

"Before, we worked together in a factory in Central London. He just kind of stuck with me after that. He's the only friend I really have", Kurt replied, "What about you and David?"

"His mom adopted me", Jeff explained, "He's like the big brother I never had. Except cool".

Kurt chuckled. Jeff let his eyes wander around the deck once again. He looked up to the first-class deck, and his breath promptly got stuck in his throat. Standing at the railing was a man around his eyes, resting his elbows on the white railings. He wore a tailored suit but appeared to have taken his coat off in favour of the warm weather. His dark brown hair was gelled into place and he had an emotionless look on his face. He looked down towards third-class and met Jeff's gaze. They locked eyes for a second before the brunette looked away. As he looked again an older woman tapped him on the shoulder, gesturing for him to go back inside. The man disappeared, but not before throwing another glance over his shoulder.

"Wouldn't it be good to be rich for a day?" Kurt half asked, half sighed. Jeff shook himself slightly before answering.

"Yeah, it definitely would be".

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"William, please stop pacing. This isn't helping the situation", Nick's mother cried, watching as her husband paced the carpet hastily.

"I can't help it! Nicholas is twenty two years of age and he hasn't met one decent woman he would like to marry. I met you when I was a mere nineteen years of age!" Nick's father continued to pace.

"He will find someone! It's only a matter of time now. He might find a girl in America!" William stopped his pacing and turned to his wife.

"Joanna, I saw him watching a man before. A man! If he turns out to be-"

"Be what William? So he falls in love with a man? At least he would be happy!" Joanna exclaimed.

"No, I won't allow it. It's immoral! It's wrong! It's not in the bible and I will not have this family name ruined by my son thinking of running away with a man!"

"Why are we even talking about this? He may have looked at this man, but many people were acting odd today. He was probably watching in amusement!" Joanna cried, standing up ready to exit the room.

"Nicholas will be a respectable young man. He will marry a nice girl, make his own money and make me proud!" William roared, his anger getting the better of him.

"What if he doesn't want to? Nicholas is a grown man and he can make his own decisions so don't try and make them for him! I do not care what you or anyone else thinks but my children come first and I will love them no matter what. Now if you have a problem with that you are more than welcome to leave and find another suite to stay in", Joanna screamed in response.

Nick sank to the floor in the next room over. What was wrong with him? He knew deep down that his mother was right. He didn't love women. The mysterious man with the blonde hair had captured his attention before because he was so, so beautiful. When he had seen him on the third-class deck earlier he just knew that he was in trouble. How could he love a man? He would bring shame to his family's name.

"Since when have you ever cared about the family name?" A quiet voice interrupted his thoughts. Nick looked up, greeted with the sight of his younger sister in her night wear. He hadn't realised he'd been thinking out loud.

"Have you been crying?" She asked, studying her brother's face.

Nick furiously wiped his cheeks, replying "No. I have not. You should be in bed".

Emily rocked back and forth on her heels. "I couldn't sleep", she stated.

Nick's gaze softened. His sister, although only three years younger than him, was still the most innocent person he had met. She had her dark mother's hair but her father's green eyes. She stood before him, staring intently at his face.

"Don't let mother see you out of bed", Nick replied, pushing himself up from his slumped position.

There was a brief moment of silence before Emily spoke once more. "I heard shouting", she murmured quietly.

"They're arguing ", Nick replied, his eyes downcast as he moved around his sister to the door to his bedroom. He thanked the heavens again for giving them the suite with his own room.

"Is it true?" Nick stopped, freezing for a moment before turning to face his sister. She spoke again. "That you love men?"

Nick averted his eyes. "I don't know".

Emily opened her mouth to speak but Nick cut her off. "Go to bed, Emily. We've had a busy day".

He escaped into his bedroom, aware of the tight feeling in his chest. He couldn't stay here. He could barely breathe. He collapsed onto his bed, closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.

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**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	2. April 11th

**Hi everyone! I know it's taken me such a long time to update, but I tried my hardest and it's over 7,000 words, so can you all forgive me? Pleeeeeeease? If you don't already, follow me on tumblr, my url is 'areweilluminated'.**

**So this is the second part of the five-part 'series', if you will. I do not own Glee, Titanic, Nick, Jeff or any other characters you recognise. **

**Enjoy!**

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April 11th

"That breakfast was amazing. If our food's like that I can't even begin to imagine what first class is like", Kurt gushed. David, Jeff, Kurt and Blaine had left their room for breakfast in the wee hours of the morning, the smell of eggs and fresh bread waking them.

"I heard they have caviar and fish and eggs and chicken and beef and lamb and everything else you could imagine", Blaine replied, sighing happily now that his stomach was full.

"What? All of that for breakfast?" David joked, nudging Blaine with his elbow and laughing with the shorter man. Jeff grinned; he had made some amazing friends in the short space of time he had been on the boat. The four continued to walk down a thin hallway, making their way to one of the rooms lower down in the ship. They headed for one of the third-class lounges. As the door for one of the lounges came into view the four men began to walk faster, eager to get inside.

The room was already packed with people. The cheap, plain white furniture was scattered around the room with people already settling themselves into it. Mindless chatter floated throughout the air and Jeff felt himself smiling. The room had such a cheery atmosphere. People were happily conversing, some playing instruments, some even singing and dancing to the music. As one of the benches in the far corner was free, Jeff made his way over, calling his friends to join him.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to eat again", Jeff moaned, resting his hands on his bloated stomach. He turned his head to the left as David fell down next to him.

"But lunch is in two hours", David replied blearily, looking at the old watch his father had given him. "We have to eat as much as we can before we get off the boat. God knows when we'll eat again…"

Jeff nodded. He knew David was right even though he had high hopes. It couldn't be that hard to find a job. "Did you see all those people get on last night?"

David nodded. "We stopped at Cherbourg. There were a few 'important' people getting on, or so they say".

"We're stopping in about an hour too", Blaine added. "We're about a mile off the coast of Queenstown".

"Which means more people to share our food with", Kurt grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. The three other men laughed heartily before engaging themselves in a song with the group of violinists sitting next to them.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

_Who is banging on the door?_ Nick asked himself. The consistent knocking had started about a minute ago, not stopping once. Muttering bitterly to himself, Nick crawled out of bed and threw the door open. His father was at the door, looking far too cheerful for the morning.

"Come now, Nicholas! You must get dressed. Breakfast finished an hour ago and lunch is soon", his father exclaimed, already dressed in a tailored suit. He looked his son up and down, satisfied that he was fully awake. "Quickly!" The man clapped his hands and turned on his heel, leaving Nick alone. The young man scowled, why was his father so cheery? Had he forgotten that his son was a shame on the family name already?

Nick groaned; he hadn't realised it was so late. The grandfather clock in his bedroom told him that it was fifteen minutes past eleven. The sun had risen hours ago, and was nearly at its peak in the pale blue sky. Nick sat on the padded window seat and moved the satin curtains aside. He couldn't see anything interesting that would keep his attention and he sighed as rested his head against the wall behind him. Couldn't something interesting happen to him at least once?

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Guys!" David interrupted the loud chatter that his friends were emitting. "The ship docks in ten minutes, we should go up the deck and see what it looks like in Queenstown", he half-sang.

Jeff laughed at his friend. "Yeah, we don't want to stay down here all day", he agreed.

Kurt and Blaine nodded and followed the two men out of the door. They made their way up to the third-class deck in silence, enjoying the sun's rays on their faces. It was almost midday and the sun was high in the sky. Jeff watched as a seagull flew over the boat, making a soft noise as it ducked and flew closer to the sea. He set his attention on his surroundings and laughed as he realised that his friend's had joined in with a young girl's and boy's game. They were throwing a small ball to each other but not letting David catch it. He joined in excitedly, chuckling at David's 'aw man'.

The four men were too caught up in the game that they failed to notice and dock coming into view. However, when the ship's horn sounded and a crowd of people gathered at the railings they stopped playing, much to the children's dismay, and ran to the railings too.

"Land!" Jeff called, earning himself a few giggles from the people around him. He jumped up on the first bar and leant over. "Damn! I left my telescope at home!" He mock-sighed.

"Get down, Jeff. You'll fall", Kurt cried, holding back a chuckle as Jeff formed a makeshift telescope out of his hands.

"Relax. I'm not going to fall. Oh look at the trees! I haven't seen that many trees in years! Oh wow, that's a lot of people. David, are they all getting on the boat?" Jeff gestured to the crowd that the ship was slowly approaching. He moved aside a little so David could look down at them.

"I don't think so. Only a few look like they have tickets", he replied, stepping back so Jeff could return to his original position on the railing.

"So we won't have to share our food?" Kurt asked, eyes wide and unaware of Blaine holding back a snort next to him.

"No Kurt", the curly haired man replied, "We won't have to share our food". He patted the brunette on the shoulder, laughing to himself softly.

Jeff jumped down at the railing, watching Kurt and Blaine smile softly and moved slightly closer to each other. They looked so comfortable in each other's company, and sometimes, when they didn't think he was looking, Jeff caught them looking at each other with a soft look in their eyes. It was a look that he didn't see often. It was the look he'd seen couples share. But he never said anything. He glanced upwards at the first-class deck, squinting slightly as the sun shone in his eyes. A figure caught his eye. He was being watched.

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Nick stood in front of the full-length mirror in his room. He was fully dressed but had opted out of gelling his hair; he wasn't in favour of it dripping down his face when the weather made him sweat. His dark brown locks hung over his forehead, brushing his eyelashes. He blinked and flicked it out of his vision. A sharp knock at the door tore his gaze away from the mirror.

"It's open", he called. The door opened to reveal the family servant, Annie. She wore her long red hair in a bun. She was young; only eighteen years of age. To Nick, she had been a good friend, and she was closer to him than his parents. Her wide green eyes looked Nick up and down.

"Your mother wants you to accompany her on the first-class deck. She wishes to speak with you", the young girl said, wringing her hands behind her back.

Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. He had a gut feeling what this conversation was going to be about, and by the looks of it, so did Annie. She wore a concerned look on her face. Nick nodded and grabbed his blazer from the chair that sat next to the mirror. He went to walk around Annie and leave the room, but her voice stopped him.

"It's okay, you know", she began. Her voice was quiet and she was staring at her hands. "If you love men", she looked up, "I don't care".

Nick pressed his lips together in a thin line, sighing and closing his eyes. When he opened them he found Annie gone. He was alone again.

"Nicholas!" Nick inwardly groaned. It was time to face the inevitable.

"Coming mother!" He slung his blazer over his shoulder and stepped out of the room. His mother was sat on one of the couches that were littered around the lounge. Nick could see that the room had been tidied by Annie; everything had been put in its place and every surface had been dusted. Paintings were hung on the walls and a family portrait hung over the fireplace. _A happy family_, Nick scoffed. _What a deceiving picture._

"Are you ready, Nicholas?" His mother asked, her face pale and eyes tired.

"Yes mother", he replied. He watched as his mother stood up shakily from the couch. It was evident that she hadn't slept if the dark circles under her eyes were anything to go by. Nick felt a pang in his heart as her eyes met his. _She knows._

"We should be going then", she whispered, her voice failing her. She turned slowly and headed out of the room, Nick following closely behind.

The walk to the first-class was a short one. Nick nodded and smiled politely at the other passengers, quietly thanking the doormen that were scattered around the boat. The sun was almost burning and Nick squinted, the light making his eyes sting. His mother sat on the white-washed wooden benches that overlooked the deep blue sea that glittered below them. They were nearing land, if the third-class passengers crowding at the railings below were anything to go by.

"Sit, Nicholas", he heard his mother call softly. "I have some things I wish to discuss with you".

Nick sat beside her softly, wiping the sweat that had gathered on his brow. "What is it?"

His mother took a deep breath. "When we get to America", she began, her voice wavering slightly, "Your father wishes for you to get married".

Nick raised an eyebrow. Leaning back he said, "To whom?"

"When we dock in Queenstown an old business partner of your father's is boarding. He has a lovely wife, a son and a daughter your age. He wishes for you to marry her", his mother replied, staring blankly ahead. She appeared to be shaking.

"And if I don't want to marry her?" Nick inquired.

His mother shook her head, now blinking back the tears that stung her eyes. "You don't have a choice, my love", she whispered, turning her head and meeting her son's gaze. She raised a hand to his cheek. "I'm so sorry".

Nick felt his stomach drop to his feet along with his heart. He felt physically sick, how could his father do this to him? "Mother…"

"I know. I know, my love. I tried to persuade him otherwise but he wouldn't listen. You know how he gets", she trailed off, the tears freely flowing. She removed her hand from Nick's cheek and wiped her own.

Nick squeezed his eyes shut. _This is not happening_. "I don't have a job. How am I supposed to provide for a wife?"

"He said he would find you a job", was the reply. "Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry".

Nick swallowed the bile that rose up from his stomach. "Can I be alone?" he mumbled. The information was too much for him to take.

His mother didn't reply, instead choosing to leave Nick to his thoughts. Shakily, he stood up from the bench and walked over to the railing, gripping it with both hands and leaning his full weight against it. He breathed deeply through his nose and bowed his head, willing his head to stop spinning. He stayed in that position for several minutes before lifting his head. From where he stood he had full view of the third-class deck. A small crowd had gathered at the railings, watching as the ship sailed closer to the docks. As Nick watched them closely, a familiar blonde leapt up onto the railing, shouting 'land!' and forming a telescope with his hands. Nick chuckled for the first time that morning. He kept his eyes trained on the blonde and watched as he engaged in a conversation with the people around.

Suddenly, the blonde turned around, looking up at the first-class deck. Nick froze, heat creeping up onto his cheeks, but he didn't look away. He _couldn't_ look away. The blonde kept his gaze, a questioning look in his eyes. Nick smiled shyly, his grin growing as the blonde returned the smile. However, when a tall brunette tapped the blonde and drew his attention away, Nick felt his smile dissipate, disappointment settling in his still-turning stomach. The blonde was now walking away and out of sight, and Nick sighed, once again letting his head fall forward.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

_He smiled at me!_ Jeff allowed himself to be led back to the third-class lounge, David having forgotten his coat. _He actually smiled at me._ He let a grin creep onto his face.

"What are you smiling at?" Kurt asked, nudging Jeff with his free arm. The other was currently occupied in moving stray hair out of his face.

"Nothing. It's just a beautiful day", Jeff grinned, "Has David found his coat yet? I want to go back to the deck".

"Found it!" David replied, joining Kurt and Jeff, Blaine at his heels.

"Took you long enough", Jeff teased. He bounced on his heels. "Can we go back up now?"

"Sure", Blaine replied, "I need to work on my tan", the shorter man replied, earning himself a light smack from Kurt and a 'you'll get wrinkly if you're not careful', causing the four men to burst into peals of giggles.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

_I smiled at him!_ Nick hadn't moved from his position against the railing. _I smiled at him and he actually smiled back._ The sun was burning the back of his neck and he was sweating underneath his thin white shirt, but the excitement that came with the blonde's smile distracted him. As he basked in the sun's glow and smiled to himself, Nick came to a realization.

"I have to meet him", he spluttered, gaining concerned looks from the passengers around him. He ducked his head, blushing for the second time that day.

The ship's horn sounded, making the passengers jump. The ship had reached the dock in Queenstown and the sound of screaming civilians caught Nick's attention. He was aware that the people crowding around the ship had a full view of him, and he smiled and waved, laughing at the responses he got. He got grins, waves, and even a wink from one woman. Chuckling to himself, he walked back over to the whitewashed bench that he and his mother had occupied earlier. He dropped down onto it with a loud sigh, covering his eyes with his arm. His mother's news came back to him as he closed his eyes and he began to feel sick again.

How was he supposed to handle this? Put up a fight? Run away? His father was a strong man, both mentally and physically. He would have no problem forcing his only son into a life he didn't want. He could always leave. He could run away, meet someone he could see himself settling down with and start his own life.

But his father might find him. No, he would find him. He was powerful. Nick didn't stand a chance. He moved his arm away from his face and looked at the railings. They were there to stop people falling, Nick realised. He could always-

"Nicholas!" A gruff voice drew him from his thoughts. He stood from the bench and turned in the direction of the voice. His father stood several feet away, a familiar smile on his face.

_He's planning something_, Nick thought. "Yes father?", he replied.

"Come inside, boy. There is someone I wish for you to meet", the older man gestured for Nick to follow, and he did. He was led back to his family's suite where an unknown group of people stood. There was a man around his father's age stood with his arm wrapped around a woman. They both had grey hair and aged faces. Before them stood a young man with dark skin and eyes, and a girl with similar features. They both looked as though they wished to be anywhere else.

"Nicholas", his father spoke loudly, smiling and pushing Nick closer to the young girl. "This is the Montgomery family. They boarded the ship this morning. This is Charles, Jacqueline, Wesley and Elizabeth".

Nick smiled politely, shaking both of the men's hands and kissing both of the women's.

"They have accepted our offer to dine with us later tonight. Why don't you and Elizabeth take a walk and get to know each other?" His father said, handing Nick the blazer that he had dropped on his way in and ushering the pair out of the door. When they had been fully pushed into the hallway the door shut behind them. Nick whirled around, furiously glaring at the door. He sighed in defeat and ran a hand through his hair. He turned to the girl and smiled weakly.

"I'm Nicholas", he offered a hand to the girl.

"Elizabeth", the girl replied, shaking Nick's hand, a shy smile gracing her features.

"Well, let's take a walk then?" Nick asked, offering an arm to Elizabeth, grimacing as she giggled and wound her arm through his. They made their way up to the deck in silence, neither knowing what to say.

As they reached the sunny deck, Nick cleared his throat, hoping to start a conversation. "So, where are you from?"

"New York, but I came to Queenstown when I was eleven", Elizabeth replied.

"Why Queenstown?" Nick asked. "Surely New York is more interesting".

Elizabeth smiled sadly. "My father got a job and demanded that we left. I didn't particularly want to go".

"Oh, I'm sorry", Nick replied. "So are you going back to New York then?"

"Yes, my mother wishes to be closer to her family. My grandmother is sick", Elizabeth's voice trailed off.

_Oh, two depressing things in two minutes. Riveting conversation…_ Nick thought.

"So how do you like the boat so far?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.

"It's alright, I suppose. I've seen bigger", came the drawled reply."Ugh, why do they let the third-class passengers mix with the first-class passengers in this part of the boat?" Nick refrained from groaning. _I need to escape…_

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Lunch! Lunch!" David yelled, whilst clutching onto Jeff's shoulders and jumping as high as he could. "Jeff, food!"

"Yes, David. Food. Now let's go", Jeff laughed, gripping onto his friend and attempting to keep him from jumping up and down.

"We have to go and eat!" David squealed. He stopped abruptly. "Where are Kurt and Blaine?"

"They went ahead, you were distracted by the dolphins, remember?" Jeff shook his head, laughing fondly at his friend.

"Oh yeah…" David realised. "Can we eat now? I'm hungry again".

Jeff nodded, a grin on his face. The pair turned and made their way to the doors that led to the dining hall from the third-class deck. As if it were a habit, Jeff looked up towards the first-class deck, freezing at what he saw.

The man that he kept on seeing with the shiny hair and the mysterious eyes was leading a young woman across the deck. Jeff felt his stomach drop. _I should have known…_

David noticed that Jeff wasn't following behind and turned around, concern evident in his eyes. "Jeff? Are you alright?"

Jeff nodded stiffly. "Yeah", he replied, swallowing the lump in his throat, "Yeah I'm fine". He looked up at his friend, meeting his eyes. "You go ahead, I'm going to stay out here for a while".

"Are you sure you're okay?" David replied. "You don't look it at all".

"Leave it David. I'll see you later". Jeff turned his back and headed to the rear of the ship. The 'stern', as he heard an elderly man call it yesterday. He heard David sigh and the door of the dining hall open and close again. He climbed down the metal steps that led to the stern and hurried over to the railing, resting his elbows on the cold metal once he reached it. He closed his eyes and listened to the soft whirring of the ship's propellers.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Ah, Nicholas, Elizabeth! I trust that you two are properly acquainted?" Nick's father grinned, clapping his hands and welcoming the young pair to the table. Nick sat down heavily, releasing Elizabeth's arm as she sat down next to him.

"Yes father, Elizabeth is a lovely girl", Nick muttered, picking up a glass of water and making short work of its contents. The cool liquid soothed his throat, but did nothing for his mind. He placed the glass back down onto the table with unnecessary force, causing his sister to look questioningly at him.

Nick looked around the table. They were sat at a larger table than usual; the Montgomery family had joined them.

"So, Nicholas, isn't it?" Spoke the gentleman next to Nick's mother. Nick nodded, allowing the man to continue. "I heard you play the piano?"

"Yes sir. I have done since I was five years old", Nick replied.

"Oh, call me Charles", the man smiled.

"He's wonderful", his mother added, "A true talent if I say so myself".

"And do you think that it may be something worth pursuing as a career?" Charles continued.

"Of course it isn't!" Nick's father interrupted. "A musician is nowhere near paid enough. I have found the perfect job for my son. As well as his musical 'talents' Nicholas is a fantastic mathematician and artist. An old colleague of mine got in touch and told me he was in need of a new architect. It suits my son's taste and the money is very good".

Nick suppressed a groan, fighting the urge to snap and tell his father what he really wanted to say. Instead, he closed his eyes, trying to keep his temper in check.

"If you don't mind me saying, Mr Duval", came a voice from the other side of the table. Nick opened his eyes. The young man he had met in the suite earlier had joined in the conversation. "I have a friend in America who plays the violin. Just like your son, he has been playing for years and he's found himself playing in an orchestra. He just recently got back from London actually. They played for the Royal Family. He gets paid more than enough to get by, and if your son wanted he could easily make a living from his music". Nick felt a surge of this respect for this man.

"Now Wesley", Charles spoke from his seat next to his son, "I'm sure Mr Duval has his reasons for his opinions".

"Yes but father, Sebastian is successful and wealthy enough to get by and he is _more _than happy", Wesley replied, "Mr Duval, surely if your son is content with his life shouldn't you be happy also? From what your wife has told me about him he seems a sensible and respectable man. I have no doubt that you did a good job raising him. However, he _is_ old enough to make his own decisions".

"I assure you Mr Montgomery, I truly have faith in my son", Nick's father replied. Nick held back a snort and smirked as a blush crept up his father's cheeks. "I just don't want him to end up living on the streets because he doesn't have enough money to afford a nice place to live".

"Wouldn't you offer to help him financially?" The table had become deadly silent, the occupiers watching the conversation play out. Nick's father spluttered.

"Of course I would! And he is more than free to do what he wishes, but _after _he has found a place to live and a wife and has a sizeable amount of money in his bank account. The last thing I need is for one of my children living on the street. What if he doesn't succeed in making a living with music?" The man continued, clearly angry at having his motives questioned.

"What if he does?" Came the quick reply. Nick's sister was having a hard time keeping a straight face, as was Nick. The rest of the table, however, was still quiet. Nobody dared to interrupt. Nick's mother was looking at the young man with a huge amount of respect in her eyes, no doubt silently praising him for having the courage to do what she couldn't.

Nick rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching. He stood up from his seat, every pair of eyes on the table flitting to him.

"Excuse me, I need some air", he said, flashing a small smile of respect to Wesley, who nodded understandingly back. Nick turned his back on the table and quickly walked away. He stepped out of the dining hall, relishing the feeling of the cool breeze running through his hair.

The first-class deck was clear of people, as was the third-class deck. Nick stepped down the stairs that led to the rear of the ship. He kept his eyes trained on the ground the whole time, not looking up until he was a few metres away from the railings at the rear. He looked up, and promptly froze in his tracks.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

He shouldn't be this upset over someone he barely knew. In fact, he didn't know the man at all! They'd made eye contact and smiled at each other. That barely counted as meeting a person. He didn't even know the man's name.

Jeff rested his forehead against the cool metal bar. His head was spinning. Behind him he heard footsteps. Assuming it was David, he called over his shoulder without looking, "Go away David. I'd like some peace".

A nervous chuckle reached his ears. "Sorry, not David. But I can still go if you want?"

Confused, Jeff turned around, his heart stopping at the sight. It was him. The man that he kept seeing up on the first-class deck and thinking about was stood before him, nervously shuffling his feet.

"No, no you can stay, if you want", Jeff replied, aware of his cheeks turning pink as the man looked him up and down. Close up, he was even better looking. His facial features stood out more and Jeff could make out what colour his eyes were. He stood tall with his hands in his pockets. His head was slightly bowed but he kept his eyes trained on Jeff, as if he was taking in every detail he could find.

Nick watched as the blonde that stood before him, his eyes wide and questioning. The sun was reflecting off his bright blonde hair, giving it a golden shine. He was taller than Nick but his stance was slouched. Nick bit his bottom lip, not really knowing what to say. Cautiously, he stepped forward, holding out his hand for the man to shake.

"I'm Nicholas. But please, call me Nick", he said, moving closer and holding his hand out. They were now less than a foot apart.

Jeff took the offered hand, shaking it with more strength than Nick expected. "Jeffrey. But you can call me Jeff", he grinned, releasing the hand but making no effort to increase the distance between them.

Nick returned the smile, looking up into the blonde's eyes. They were hazel, much lighter than his own. "If you don't mind me asking, are you alright?" Nick began, concerned about how upset Jeff looked when he turned around but not wanting to pry, "You looked a little worse for wear just then".

Jeff blushed again. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just needed a little air".

Nick nodded, walking around Jeff to lean against the railings, his back to the sea behind him "Me too. First-class isn't as fun as it looks".

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "How so? Is the butler annoying you?" He paused, catching the look on Nick's face and backtracking. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. What's wrong?"

Nick chuckled. "It's fine, a lot of people I know are ungrateful for the things they have. And it doesn't matter. Everything's just getting a little too much for me at the moment", he replied, resting his elbows on the railings, watching as Jeff moved to lean on the railing next to him.

"Want to talk about it?" The blonde asked, flicking his hair out of his eyes. Nick's stomach flipped.

"It's a long story", Nick replied. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a packet of cigarettes. "Do you smoke?" He asked, turning his head to look at the blonde.

Jeff shook his head. "No, I don't smoke. And as for the long story, I have all the time in the world", Jeff grinned. "Or as long as it takes for this boat to get to America".

Nick laughed, lighting up his cigarette. "Sorry if you get smoke blown your way. Okay, basically my father is an arrogant, ignorant idiot who is so full of shit it's unbelievable".

"Wow…" Jeff said.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Jeff chuckled. "Just… I've never heard someone from first-class swear before. I was beginning to think it was forbidden or something…"

"I don't usually do it around my parents. My mother would kill me", Nick replied, closing his eyes and blowing smoke into the air. He winced as it blew in Jeff's direction. "Sorry", he muttered.

Jeff waved the smoke away with his hand. "Don't worry about it. The roommate smokes all the time. So explain, your father's being a pain in the ass".

Nick took another drag of his cigarette, this time attempting to blow the smoke away from Jeff. "He met my mother when he was nineteen, and now he's concerned about me because I'm twenty two and I still haven't found a woman I would like to marry. In fact, he's so concerned that he's found one for me".

Jeff nodded, desperately trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. "Is she pretty?"

Nick turned his head quickly, raising his eyebrows. "I suppose so…"

"Funny?"

"Not really. A little boring, if you ask me", Nick sighed. "I don't want to marry her".

"Then don't", Jeff replied. "You're twenty two. You can make your own decisions can't you? Tell your father that you don't want to marry her. Nobody's making you".

"My father is. He doesn't understand me. He also doesn't like the idea of me becoming a musician. He says they don't get paid enough and he's found me another job", Nick added, throwing his cigarette behind him into the sea.

Jeff swallowed. _And I thought my life was bad_. "If you don't mind me saying, your father sounds like a dick".

Nick snorted. "Don't I know it", he replied. "God I needed that cigarette". He let his head fall back, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.

"You looked like you did. What job did he get you?" Jeff replied.

"An architect working for one of his old colleagues", Nick groaned. "I don't even like drawing anymore".

"Wait, how did he get architect from musician? They're like, two completely different things", Jeff asked.

"Exactly! He just doesn't seem to understand that I am my own person. I don't want to be rich and successful. I just want to be me", Nick replied.

"Well Nick, personally, I think you should do want you want. To hell with your father!" Jeff replied, batting a fly-away strand of hair from his eyes. "But somehow I don't think it's that easy".

Nick shook his head, staring blankly ahead. "No, it's not. God, it's so silly. He's winning and I'm letting him!"

"You're a grown man, Nick. Don't let him win", Jeff replied. "I have to go, my friends are probably wondering where I am", he smiled sadly, "Maybe I'll see you around?"

Nick nodded enthusiastically, watching as Jeff's figure retreated, clearly heading for the third-class dining hall. "Wait!" He suddenly shouted, Jeff turning around quickly. "Meet me here again at seven tonight. It was nice talking to you", Nick called, smiling at the blonde's grin. The wind picked up and sent his hair flying into his face.

Jeff nodded, still smiling. "Of course", he called back. "I'll see you later".

Nick smiled softly as Jeff made it to the stairs that led to the third-class deck and dining hall. He waved when a glance was thrown back at him and kept his hand in the air as Jeff climbed up the stairs and disappeared through a nearby door. With a sigh he lowered the hand and ran it through his now tousled hair.

_Well that was… interesting…_ Nick thought to himself. He stared at the spot Jeff had stood in just moments ago. He was intrigued by the man and already couldn't wait for later tonight. It was silly; he'd just met him! But already Nick was drawn to the character. Jeff was different from everyone else he was forced to associate with. He was friendly and open-minded, and clearly more than happy to listen to other people's problems. Nick's lips slowly curled into a smile as he desperately tried to ignore the feeling that had taken over his chest and stomach.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

By the time Nick and Jeff had finished their conversation lunch was nearly over. The decks began to fill with people and mindless chapter began to fill the air again. A group of children started to kick a ball around close to where Nick was still leaning, and he decided to make his way back to the suite, not wanting to get injured by a children's game. He climbed the steps to the first-class deck, taking the time to appreciate the beauty of the ocean around him. The deep blue water glittered below the burning sun and dolphins swam lazily around the boat. Nick smiled; it was beautiful.

The walk to his suite was not a long one, but the crowded decks and hallways slowed him down. Nick didn't particularly want to face his face after walking out on lunch, his father would surely be irate, but he knew he had no choice. It was a boat after all, there weren't many places he could go. Nevertheless, he trudged down the spacious hallways that led to the door of his suite, one hand stuffed deep in his pocket, the other clutching his blazer that was once again slung over his shoulder. A sense of dread settled in his stomach, not knowing what to expect when he entered the room but being nervous anyway. He opened the door slowly and braced himself for the reaction.

"Nicholas!" He heard his mother cry. "Where on earth have you been? We've all been worried sick". The woman gestured frantically around the room. The Montgomery family were seated on various items of furniture, his own family sitting nervously together.

"I needed some air", Nick replied. "I didn't mean to worry you", he pulled his mother into a hug and did his best to comfort her. She pulled away after a second.

"It's okay sweetheart. But next time let us know where you're going?" His mother sighed and clutched onto his shoulders, secretly checking for any sign of injury.

Nick nodded. "I apologise if I worried any of you", he said to the other occupiers of the suite. They nodded in return, Wes smirking delightedly.

"Well Nicholas, now that you've been on your little escapades, we were hoping that you'd join us in the first class lounge. Apparently they have entertainment today", Nick's father stood up, stepping slowly towards his son.

"Not quite yet, father. But I'll be sure to join you later. I still have the rest of my things to unpack", Nick replied.

"Get Annie to do it!" His father cried.

"No, Annie sit down", Nick replied, stopping the girl as she quickly stood up. "I will do it, and then I will join you later".

Nick's father looked defeated. "Very well then", the man choked out. "Don't be too long".

"If you don't mind sir", Wes piped up from the couch. "I'd like to stay and get to know your son a little bit more, especially considering we are going to be family soon".

Nick's father nodded, clearly not wanting to start a debate. "Of course, fine. Okay then. Let's go then, shall we?" He said to the rest of the people in the room. Nick watched as they all stood up and filed out of the door, leaving him alone with Wes, a man he barely knew. He turned to face him.

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but Wes beat him to it.

"I know we haven't met properly, allow me to introduce myself. Wesley Montgomery. Nice to meet you", the young man smiled, holding his hand out for Nick to shake.

"Nicholas Duval", the latter replied, shaking the offered hand briefly. "Pleasure to meet you too. And I must say I thought it was fantastic what you said at lunch today".

"It wasn't a problem. I know it isn't really my place to give my opinion on the matter, but you did look unhappy when your father told my family about the job he had gotten for you", Wes replied as he settled back into the armchair he had occupied earlier.

Nick grimaced. "No, I'm not particularly happy about it. Thank you, though, no one ever seems to understand it from my point of view".

"I mean no offense when I say this, but why don't you just do what you want to do? It is your life after all", Wes replied.

Nick chuckled. "You're the second person who's said that to me today".

"Who was the first?" Wes replied, raising an eyebrow.

"A man that I was talking to after I left during lunch. I needed to vent my problems and he seemed willing to listen. I know I shouldn't speak with people that I barely know, bu-"

"But you _are_ speaking with me and you barely know me at all", Wes interjected. "It's okay; you're stressed and under a lot of pressure at the moment. It's completely understandable. I once had a ten minute long conversation with the tramp that lived under the bridge near my old house. He was nice…"

Nick snorted. "I might have to try that", he countered.

"Do you need to unpack?" Wes inquired.

"No, I just can't stand my father's company", was Nick's reply.

Wes sniggered. "Oh dear", he began. "You really don't have a good relationship with him do you?"

Both men were sent into peals of laughter at that comment, Wes wiping tears from his eyes and Nick clutching his sides. Annie stood at the door, shaking her head at the two men, before picking up a duster and leaving the room, laughing softly to herself.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

_Wow_, Jeff thought. _He actually talked to me. We actually had a full-blown conversation and he wants to talk to me again!_

Jeff was curled up on his bunk in the small room he shared with his three friends. David was dozing lightly on the bunk below him and Kurt and Blaine were playing cards, both sat cross-legged on the lower bunk opposite him. The room was quiet; the men had just gotten back from the third-class lounge, their legs aching from dancing and their throats dry from singing. Dinner was at six, and Jeff knew that he would have trouble waking David up when the time came. The man could sleep through absolutely everything.

"Blaine", Jeff croaked quietly, catching his friend's attention. "What time is it?"

Blaine looked at his watch. "Almost six 'o' clock. Why? Do you have somewhere to be?"

Jeff laughed at his friend's suggestively raised eyebrow. "No, man. I was just wondering how long was left before dinner".

"Oh I know I'm starving!" Kurt chimed, making the more awake of the men laugh. David made a small snuffling sound and rolled over, curling into a ball with his pillow clutched tightly in his grasp.

"You're always hungry", Blaine joked, poking Kurt lightly in the shoulder. Kurt returned the gesture by whacking Blaine with the pillow that lay on the bed beside him.

"Girls!" Jeff cried. "Stop fighting, how many times have I told you?"

Kurt and Blaine giggled. "Can we go and get food now?" Kurt whined.

"Yeah, why not? But I'm not waking David up. You know how he gets", Jeff replied.

"Me neither!" Kurt added. "Last time he bit me. I still have teeth marks".

"Wait, so I have to do it? No way! He threw a clock at me yesterday just because I fell out of bed! I didn't even make that much noise", Blaine pouted, folding his arms across his chest.

Jeff and Kurt grinned at each other before jumping from their respective positions and speeding out of the door. Behind they heard a loud groan. "I hate you both!" Blaine called, before dodging a pillow that missed him by less than an inch.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

He did it. He sat through a whole two hours of dinner with his father and his loud, annoying opinions. He'd sat with Wes, of course, as the younger man made the ordeal much more bearable. Nick knew he had made a friend for life, as they both shared the same opinions and interests, and Wes was accepting an open-minded about Nick's ambitions. It was nice speaking to someone who didn't contradict everything he said for once.

Nick smiled to himself as he slowly made his way down the steps that led to the boat's stern. The sky was dark and the stars were beginning to sparkle in the cloudless atmosphere. The evening had been a good one, as far as Nick was concerned, and he was looking forward to speaking to Jeff again. He had taken a liking to the man, and was hoping that they could become friends. Something about the man had drawn Nick to him. He could have just walked away before, but he forced himself to stay. For some reason he just didn't want to leave.

The sea was calm; there were no dolphins swimming with them and the only sound that could be heard was the sound of breaking water at the ship moved forward. Nick listened to the soft thud of his shoes as he stepped towards the railings. He leaned his elbows on the cool metal and fished a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. Lighting up, he stared out at the ocean, marvelling at the serenity of it all.

"You look a lot more peaceful than you did before", came a voice from behind.

Nick turned around, slightly startled by the broken silence, but smiled when he saw the familiar face. "Jeff…" he breathed. "You scared me".

Jeff laughed softly, looking at the ground whilst pushing his hands into his pockets. He looked up at Nick through golden hair. "Am I really that scary?"

A smile grew on Nick's face. "Terrifying, actually", he joked. The brunette scanned the taller man, looking at him more closely than he did before. He looked different underneath the moonlight. His features looked softer, his hair shiner. Nick felt something flutter in his chest as he took in the looks of this man. He prayed that Jeff couldn't hear his heartbeat as it was currently thumping against his chest too forcefully for Nick's comfort. He took a deep breath, waiting for Jeff's reply.

"I'm actually a huge softie at heart", Jeff replied, his eyes twinkling as the smile on Nick's face grew.

"Figures", Nick snorted, causing Jeff to raise an eyebrow and cock his head to the left.

"Figures?" he replied.

Nick nodded, smile still in place. "It's always the tall men that are really deceiving and you think they can throw a punch, but it's really the little ones who do the most damage".

Jeff sauntered closer to the brunette, coming to stand next to him as he spoke. "I am quite strong you know. I've been known to do some damage in the past", Jeff's breath came out as mist in the cold air.

"I'm sure you are strong, but I bet you only use it in your favour when you really have to. I bet you're a gentle soul", Nick replied, smirking at Jeff's expression of mock-shock.

"I'll have you know, good sir, that I'm very tough. In fact, I'm rather insulted that you could even think such a thing!" Jeff cried, placing his hand on his chest and gasping.

Nick laughed, deciding to play along. "Oh I do apologise! Pray, prove that you are strong".

"Well, when I was ten, I got a paper cut and I didn't cry. If that's not tough then I don't know what is", Jeff poked his tongue out at the brunette. Nick was doubled over laughing, the proud look on Jeff's face was more than he could take and Jeff joined in soon after.

Maybe it was the conversation that they both fell into so easily, or the way that Jeff's eyes lit up whenever he smiled. Or maybe it was the way Jeff would forget where he was for a second when Nick laughed, but neither man noticed when their fellow passengers left the decks around them, saying goodbye to the ocean and turning in for the night.

* * *

**So I had my friend check and edit this, so this is the now edited version. Sorry if I confused you. Reviw if you haven't? : D**


	3. April 12th

**Well this chapter is long overdue. For those of you who have been keeping track and wondering 'where the hell is she?' I apologise. I've been busy recently and then my keyboard stopped working, then my replacement one stopped working, but I fixed it.**

**Slight warning for abit of bad language, nothing too major.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters you recognise, except from the ones I have created myself. I also do not own Glee, or anything related to it.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

April 12th

To an outsider, Nick had the perfect life. Perfect childhood, perfect clothes, perfect parents and sibling. Even the way he spoke showed that he had had a good education. Nick was well aware that many people would kill for his life, especially the passengers in third-class. He knew that their future was undetermined the minute they stepped off the boat and that if they were given the tiniest amount of money, they would take it. And even though at the back of his mind Nick knew he had it easy, he just couldn't shake the feeling of needing to escape.

Nick had never understood his father's need for perfection. Even as a child he was pushed to his limits. He was forced to study when he should have been playing, forced to help his mother and the old housekeeper with the cleaning. When he got the smallest smudge of dirt on his clothes he was forced to change, and he was often told to wash his hands or comb his hair, even when he didn't need to. At first Nick thought his father just wanted him to be well-educated and possibly have good bodily hygiene, but as he got older he realised what his father was really trying to do. He was being moulded into the 'perfect son'.

He had tried with all his might to rebel against his father. He almost never did what he was told to, only choosing to comply when someone else asked him to do something. He dirtied his clothes all of the time and then refused to change, and often made it clear that he was much closer to his mother. To Nick, it was all just a game. A challenge to see how long it took before his father popped the vein in his forehead.

However, every action had a reaction, and his father's reaction was sending him to a private school three hours away from his home. Nick remembered laughing, only ten years of age, and wondering how his father could have been so stupid. Surely he must have realised that it wasn't a punishment? Nick thought of it as an escape, and to this day it remained the best five years of his life.

The school itself was rather grand. It had spiral staircases and huge windows, large lawns and countless trees. It had challenged him, but who didn't love a challenge? Nick had left with top grades and several friends for life.

He had spent the following years of his life attending countless galas and parties, watching how his parents built up their family name and made them known as one of the richest families in London. Their house was visited by many strangers, all of which were greeted with open arms by his mother. She offered them tea and biscuits and invited them for dinner. When Nick was younger he never understood why they were visited so often. It didn't help that it seemed to be a different person every time. Yet while it confused him then, he understood now. It was all just a game.

It was a game that he was now losing. When he was younger he was carefree and happy. Now the choking sensation and the heavy feeling in his stomach took that away. He remembered standing in his old dormitory in his old school, staring at his reflection in the mirror and observing how much he had changed since he had started.

As Nick looked in the mirror that occupied his room on the R.M.S Titanic, he noticed even more changes. His hair was longer, he had grown taller and his facial features were more defined. He looked older and wiser, but the lines that had formed in his forehead and around his mouth showed that he was under pressure, and his eyes were not as bright as they were in his youth.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jeff had not had the best life. He had been taken away from his mother at a young age, shipped to a different country and transferred from family to family when he arrived. The only good thing that had happened was being taken in by David and his parents. He had been scared and alone, having slept on the streets for a week after his current 'parents' had thrown him out. He had been curled up in a doorway, a thin blanket covering his body, shaking from the cold. David's mother had found him with tears streaked down his face and had immediately taken him under her wing. He had been provided with food, clothes, a warm house and most importantly, a family.

The only thing that was really missing was his mother. He had missed her so much it had ached, and he had spent most nights lying in bed wondering where she was, how she was and if she was even alive. Jeff remembered being sick with worry and crying himself to sleep most nights.

That's when the letters came. He had been feeling down all day, having just started school and only having his new brother as company. They'd been put in different classes and Jeff had been forced to sit alone in the corner of the classroom. He hadn't bothered making any friends, who would want to speak to him anyway?

David's mother, Irene, had set the letter on the dining table in front of him. He had torn it open with such vigour that he had nearly ripped the letter itself, and by the time he had finished reading he was sobbing into his dinner. David had immediately been at his side, pulling his new brother into a hug and comforting him as well as a ten year old could, and Jeff had immediately felt better. Everything was okay.

Things had gotten better from there. He'd had a decent education; he could read, write and count really well. He'd grown into his looks and his long limbs and a permanent smile remained on his face due to the constant stream of letters that came from his mother. He and David had become incredibly close, inseparable almost. Life was good.

He'd had a plan ever since he'd step foot on the boat that had taken him away from his mother. He was going to go back to her. He loved her and they had been so close. It wasn't fair that they had been separated, and he would find a way to get home. He'd worked for several different people over the past five years, saving every penny that he earned. As it turned out, he never needed the money. Winning a ticket for the Titanic was high up on his list of good things that had happened to him.

Jeff peered into the small cracked mirror that he and his roommates shared. He fixed his hair one last time, flicking it out of his eyes. Kurt had been nice enough to lend him some clean clothes and a new comb, and Jeff took in his slightly cleaner, tidier self. His reflection stared back at him, his hazel eyes twinkling as a smile crept onto his face. He sighed happily and stood up. He quietly stepped out of the room, trying not to wake any of his roommates. He closed the door gently and began to walk down the corridor.

_Time to see Nick again_, he thought happily, humming cheerfully under his breath.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Nick was not used to be up and out of bed this early. He usually waited until everybody else in his family had risen before he even began contemplating whether to get up or not, and as he leaned back on the railings at the ship's stern, clutching onto the spare jacket and hat he had brought, he wondered why he'd ever agreed to meet with Jeff this early in the morning.

_Because your father wouldn't let you out of the suite if he was up before you,_ a small voice in the back of his head chimed. It was true; his father had been more wary than usual around Nick ever since yesterday's events.

Nick squinted as the sun peeked out from behind a cloud, and raised an arm to cover his eyes. The early hour was making them sensitive, the brightness of the morning sun giving Nick a headache. He turned away from the sunlight, instead choosing to lean over the railings and watch the water lap at the sides of the ship.

"Morning", a voice from behind him sang. He turned around, greeting with the sight of a grinning blonde. Jeff quickly walked over to the railings and leant back next to Nick.

"Morning", Nick grunted, trying his best to look social. He narrowed his eyes in confusion as Jeff's smile turned into a smirk.

"Not a morning person I take it?" Nick sighed at Jeff's words, chuckling slightly as he rubbed his eyes again. He let his back hit the railings and turned his head to the side as a way to avoid the sun.

"I usually like to sleep until around noon. Any earlier than that and I get so grumpy", Nick replied.

"Really? I love the mornings. When I was younger I used to wake up really early so I could watch the sunrise. Call me soft, but I really liked all of the different colours", Jeff glanced over his shoulder. "Looks like I missed it today".

"Wait, do you wake up early every morning?" Nick asked, slightly shocked at the idea. "How do you even…?"

Jeff shrugged. "I'm used to it I guess. But I haven't been the last few days".

"Oh?" Nick cocked an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Oh I get seasick", Jeff replied, a grin creeping onto his lips. "Quite spectacularly I might add. I didn't know such shades of green existed".

Nick laughed, throwing his head back and clutching his stomach. When he looked back up Jeff was looking at him with a look of mock-hurt on his face.

"Is my pain funny to you?" He cried, folding his arms over his chest and sniffing dramatically.

"A little", Nick continued to giggle. "I'm lucky, I'm used to boats".

"Lucky you", Jeff pouted, causing Nick to laugh even more. "So anyway, what are the plans for today? Seeing as you dragged me out of bed to spend the day with you".

"You can always go back to your room. You don't have to spend time with me", Nick replied, his good mood fading slightly, but Jeff replied before disappointment could sink in.

"No! No I like talking to you! You're really nice and I've never had a friend from first-class before. And nobody's ever had to drag me out of bed before. I'm an early riser, I told you", Jeff hurriedly reassured Nick.

Nick smiled sheepishly. "So that's what we are? Friends?" He asked.

"If that's okay with you", Jeff replied.

Nick felt his smile grow and his cheeks start to ache. "Yeah, friends is good".

"Now, good sir. I'd like a tour of the first-class deck while its occupants are still sleeping", Jeff said.

"Funny you should mention that. I brought you one of my coats and hats. Just so you can blend in and not bring attention to yourself, what with you being third-class and all", Nick replied, handing the coat and hat over before his words sunk in. "Not that I'm trying to offend you though! I'm sure third-class is very nice and it's not like you're dirty or anything, but even though I like you, other people may not have the same opinion".

Jeff snorted at Nick's babbling. "Don't worry; I know where I belong in society".

Nick frowned. "I don't think you belong in third-class. I think you'd handle first-class brilliantly".

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Please tell me you're joking", Jeff cried, throwing his hands up in disbelief.

Nick laughed at his friend's reaction. "I swear I'm not joking!"

"But how?" Jeff replied. "How have you never ridden a horse?"

"It just never really happened. My parents don't like animals. They think they're dirty", Nick explained. His parents would never allow to step foot near a horse, never mind ride one, in fear that they would catch something from the poor creature.

"But it's a horse", Jeff exclaimed. "They're sweet and nice. And fun! You haven't lived".

The two men were sat on one of the whitewashed benches that were scattered around the first-class deck. Jeff had covered his bright blonde hair with the hat that Nick had provided, and his loose white shirt had been buttoned up to the top with a tailored black jacket, also Nick's, slung over his shoulders. The deck was filling with people, the other passengers eager to make the most of the sunny weather. However, nobody had noticed that Jeff wasn't really where he was supposed to be.

A pout had appeared on Jeff's lips, and Nick had the sudden urge to kiss it away. Wait, what? No Nick, Jeff's only your friend!

"Maybe I'll get around to it one day", he replied after a moment of silence.

"You definitely should. It's so much fun", Jeff grinned widely. "I remember the first time I rode a horse. Well actually it was a donkey but it still counts. I was twelve. Me and David went to the beach on our first ever vacation. It was so awesome. My donkey was called Sandy, because it was the colour of sand".

"Hey Jeff", Nick interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"You're rambling", Nick chuckled.

"Oh", Jeff replied. "I tend to do that when I get excited. My roommates always tell me off for it".

"You have roommates?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, I have three", Jeff replied. "They're awesome guys".

"Tell me about them", Nick said. He was sure Jeff hadn't mentioned roommates.

"Well there's David. He and I got tickets together, so he and I boarded together. I demanded top bunk", Jeff replied.

"Of course", Nick agreed.

"Then there's Kurt and Blaine. We met when David and I first boarded. They met when they worked together in a factory in London a few years ago. They stayed friends ever since. They're pretty close", Jeff explained.

"Closer than you and David?" Nick asked.

"Yeah…" Jeff began. "It's kind of hard to explain. They're not like brothers, like David and I. It's like there's something else".

"Like love?" Nick saw the way Jeff froze, realisation creeping onto his face.

"Maybe…" Jeff's voice trailed off. "Oh my god, how did I not notice that?"

"Well they are both men. They've probably gotten used to hiding it. The world isn't the most accepting place", Nick replied.

"But, I don't understand. Surely they both know that I wouldn't care", Jeff cried.

"Well maybe, but like I said, two men in a relationship isn't exactly the most well-known thing in the world. They probably just wanted to keep it to themselves", Nick replied, hoping that his friend would calm down. "It's probably not anything personal".

Jeff let out a loud sigh. "The way I see it is that love is love. It doesn't matter who you fall for. As long as you treat that person right and love them, and get that back in return, I don't think it matters at all".

"I agree", Nick replied. "But you can understand why they didn't walk onto the boat holding hands loudly declaring their love for each other, don't you? They probably would have been arrested", Nick explained.

"Yeah I understand. I just want them to know that I accept them for who they are, not who they fall in love with", Jeff glanced at Nick, who was now smirking slightly. "What?"

Nick let out a quiet laugh. "It's ten thirty in the morning and we're talking about Kurt and Blaine's 'relationship'. How can we even be sure that they're together?"

"I don't know. It's just the way they look at each other. I most certainly don't look at David like that", Jeff thought back to the time that they docked in Queenstown. The look that he had seen in both Kurt and Blaine's eyes, that wasn't platonic. It couldn't be.

Nick nodded. It was possible for two men to fall in love, as it was with two women. To him, it didn't matter. His father had very different opinions, never failing to shout abuse to any man or women who looked like they 'swung the other way'. It was one of the reasons that Nick despised his father. He hated the fact that he was so hateful, and for what reason? He had money, therefore he had power. He could get away with almost anything. Nick began to feel sick again.

"You're thinking", he heard Jeff say. Nick shook himself from his reverie.

"Sorry", he muttered.

"Don't be", Jeff smiled softly. "You're allowed to think. What are you thinking about?"

Nick paused for a moment before replying. "How I wish everything was different".

"How so?" Jeff asked.

"I'm jealous of you", Nick found himself saying.

"Of me?" Jeff asked incredulously. "Poor, third-class me?"

"Yes", Nick replied. "You're _happy_, Jeff. I've never been happy, not properly at least".

"I'm not always happy Nick. I've been through hell and back too".

"I know, but you're okay now. I don't know if I ever will be", Nick replied. "As soon as I step foot off this boat I'll be whisked to a church where I'll have to marry the dullest, most boring girl I've ever met".

"You're old enough to make your own choices Nick. Don't let your father control you", Jeff cried.

Nick groaned. "I just want to escape".

There was a moment's silence before Jeff spoke again.

"Get off the boat with me", the blonde whispered.

Nick snapped his neck sideways to look at Jeff with wide eyes. Had he really just said that?

"Really?" Nick spluttered. "We barely know each other!"

A grin crept onto Jeff's face. "Well, I'll bet anything that you prefer me to your father".

Nick smirked. "True, but what about my mother? And my sister? I can't just leave them".

Jeff looked crestfallen for a second before he replied. Sighing, he spoke. "It's your choice, but promise me you'll make the right one for you. I want you to be happy".

Nick felt his smirk fade into a soft smile. "Thank you Jeff. But we have all the time in the world before we even get near America. Let's not worry about things that like just yet".

Jeff nodded in agreement. "Alright then. So, Nicholas. Tell me more about yourself. Where did you grow up?"

Nick laughed at Jeff's change in behaviour before jumping back into the conversation and starting a conversation about the old house that he grew up in.

Sitting on a bench that was partly concealed by a large group of children and parents was Elizabeth. Her large hat hid her face, but she still had a perfect view of the two men. She scowled at their laughter. No, she was not happy about this.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Annie had had enough of the Duval family. She was a servant and had barely a penny to her name, but she was human and she deserved respect. The only person she ever received it from was Nicholas, and even he never seemed to be around lately. His sister, Emily, was never rude, but she never went to as far as to make conversation. Annie was lonely.

Sighing, she began to redo her hair. It had fallen out of her usual bun and the free strands were beginning to irritate her. She put down her cloth and leant her broom against the coffee table, reaching up to fix her hair.

"Annie!" A voice cried, making her jump. She turned quickly, coming face to face with Mr Duval.

"Y-yes sir", she squeaked.

"Your job is to cook and clean, not to take a break and fix your hair whenever the mood strikes you", the man growled.

"I apologise sir, but my hair was falling out of the bun and it was bothering me. I'm sorry sir", she stuttered in reply. She didn't like the man, and she would even go as far as to say she was afraid of him.

"Well hurry up and fix your hair so you can get back to work. The bed needs doing in the main bedroom and the piano needs dusting", Mr Duval grunted, slowly stepping backwards out of Annie's personal space and striding out of the room.

In Annie's haste to redo her hair she hadn't noticed the door to the living area open once more. Looking quite concerned, Wes stepped into the room and cleared his throat. For the second time that day, Annie jumped in shock.

"Oh, I didn't mean to alarm you! I apologise", Wes started, but Annie waved her hand to stop him.

"It's fine, sir. I'm just a little jumpy today", she replied, finishing her hair and picking up her dusting cloth from the coffee table.

"Don't apologise, it was my fault. I should have made my presence more known." Wes looked the girl up and down, taking in her dishevelled appearance. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…"Annie began. "Do you need anything, sir?"

Wes shook his head. "No, and please call me Wes. And I apologise but I didn't quite catch your name".

Annie smiled slightly. "I'm Annie, si-", she paused, "Wes".

Wes started slowly walking towards the young girl. "So tell me Annie. How does a girl as beautiful as you end up working as a servant?"

Annie felt her cheeks growing hot under Wes' gaze. She giggled under her breath. "My mother sent me away when I was seventeen. She couldn't afford to keep me so she sent me off to work. I didn't have a proper place to live, and I didn't have enough money to pay for anywhere to stay. I chose to become a servant", Annie replied. "This is the second family I worked for".

"Who was the first?" Wes asked.

"An elderly couple, but they passed away", the red-head replied. "It's fine though", she added when she saw Wes' sympathetic face.

"Do you miss them?" Wes asked.

"Sometimes, I always remember how they would insist that I had dinner with them. They would never allow me to eat on my own. They said that I was part of their family", Annie smiled fondly at the memories that resurfaced.

"Does the Duval family not allow you to join them for meals?"

Annie shook her head. "I used to cook for them when they lived in England, and I ate in my own room. It's fine though, I preferred it. Conversation didn't exactly flow very easily", Annie replied. Wes had gotten much closer to her now. He was only a foot away, probably less. Annie blushed once more as she noticed him staring at her.

"What?" She whispered.

Wes shook his head, smiling at the young girl. "You have beautiful eyes", he said to her. Without breaking his gaze, he reached down and lifted her hand to his lips. Kissing it softly, he spoke against her fair skin. "It's lovely to meet you Annie. I look forward to getting to know you more".

With that, he gently dropped her hand and smiled at her. He backed out of the room, leaving Annie flustered.

_Maybe this voyage won't be that bad_, she thought.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Elizabeth was furious. No, she was beyond furious. She was absolutely, positively fuming. Her fiancé was spending more time with a man from steerage than he was with her. It was preposterous! They were supposed to be spending time together and getting to know each other more. She would be lying if she said she wasn't attracted to the man, and deep down she felt that they would make a fantastic couple. But that man from third-class, because no, the disguise wasn't fooling her, would ruin it all. No, she wouldn't have it. The only way to secure her family's name was to get Nicholas wrapped around her little finger. Her family had debts, debts that needed getting rid of. Nicholas's family had money, and lots of it. It was the only sure fire way to save her family's reputation, and she would not let anyone get in the way of that.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"You do realise that we've skipped two meals today?" Jeff asked.

The two men hadn't moved for at least three hours. They were still sitting on the same bench as before, watching the other passengers adapt to life on a boat. Children were playing and parents were scolding them. The air was filled with chatter as the two men lay underneath the afternoon sun. Nick was sure he'd seen his 'fiancé' earlier, but he brushed it off. He wasn't particularly fond of her.

Nick glanced to his right. "So we have. No wonder I'm so hungry", he replied.

"I don't quite have the energy to move", Jeff groaned.

"But I bet you don't want to starve to death. Shall we see if I can charm the wait staff into giving us some free food?" Nick grinned mischievously.

"Do it", came Jeff's weary reply. "I think my stomach's actually crying".

Nick laughed as Jeff mock-sighed, clutching his stomach as if he was in agony. _He's so cute_, Nick thought, before inwardly smacking himself. _He's just your friend…_

"I'll be back in a second", Nick jumped up from the hard wooden bench, groaning as he felt his back crack in more than one place.

"You're getting old if you groan whenever you stand up or sit down", he heard Jeff say behind him.

"Dick, I'm only twenty one. And I'm pretty sure you'd groan if you'd sat on a hard bench for nearly three hours", Nick poked Jeff in the stomach, causing the blonde to whine. "I'll be two minutes".

Jeff watched Nick's retreating figure as it passed through a doorway and disappeared out of sight. He closed his eyes and savoured the feeling of the sun's warmth on his face. It was still only three in the afternoon, but the heat was still sweltering. He had abandoned the heavy black jacket, but kept the hat covering his face and hair. The disguise seemed to be working; no one had said anything to him.

He was almost drifting off to sleep when he felt the presence of someone sitting down next to him. Thinking it was Nick coming back with food he opened his eyes. However, instead of the brunette he had become familiar with, he was greeted with the sight of a young, and a little bit angry looking, woman.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Stay away from him", the woman replied, a stony look on her face.

"Who?"

"Don't play stupid. You've been with him all day", the woman replied. "Stay away from my fiancé".

"Why? We're friends. You don't get a say in who I'm friends with", Jeff was getting annoyed. He knew Nick had a fiancé, but he didn't know she was this possessive.

"No maybe not, but I do have the power to ruin your entire voyage with the click of my fingers", the woman sneered. "Now if you do anything to ruin my engagement, I will end you".

"I'm not scared of you", Jeff smirked.

"No? Well you should be. Don't even think about-"

"Elizabeth?"

Jeff thanked every god there was in the skies above for Nick coming back at that moment. Elizabeth seemed to panic before quickly collecting herself.

"Nicholas! There you are! Your family and I were beginning to worry about you. Where have you been all day?" Elizabeth smiled sweetly at Nick, fluttering her eyelashes and acting as if her previous conversation with Jeff had never happened.

"I've been around", Nick replied warily. "What are you doing talking to Jeff?"

"Oh I was just asking if he'd seen you, talking about the weather and such. Are you coming to dinner later?"

"Perhaps".

"Oh Nicholas, you've missed both breakfast and lunch. Surely you must be hungry?" Elizabeth asked, pretending to look concerned.

Jeff smothered a laugh behind his hands. From where he was sat he could clearly see a bulge in Nick's pocket that was caused by the bread he had stolen.

"I ate before I left and took a snack with me. I'm fine Elizabeth. Tell mother and father I'll join them for dinner", Nick replied, clearly desperate for the young girl to leave.

Elizabeth was losing her patience. She sighed loudly before standing up and saying, "Very well then. Don't be late".

She spun swiftly on her heel and strode around the corner and out of sight. Jeff let out a sigh of relief.

"She's such a bitch", he breathed, causing Nick to chuckle.

"Why, what did she say to you?" the brunette asked.

"She told me to stay away from you", Jeff replied as Nick took his seat next to him. "Can I have some food please?"

Nick silently handed over a roll of bread to Jeff. "Did she threaten you?"

Jeff nodded. "Yep", he replied with a mouth full of food. "But don't worry about it. She can't ruin my life or anything. I don't have much to lose".

"You have friends", Nick began.

"Who will stick beside me no matter what", Jeff replied. "Look, I'm never going to see her again once I step off this boat. She can't touch me".

"What about me?"

Jeff looked to his left and saw Nick picking at his bread. "What do you mean?"

"You said you'd never see her again once you get off the boat. What about me?" Nick replied, not looking up.

"We'll keep in touch, if you want to?" Jeff asked.

Nick smiled a little. "Yeah, I'd like that. I mean, I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but I feel like we've become good friends over the past two days".

"Me too", Jeff grinned. "Anyway, you were right".

"About what?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Sitting on a hard wooden bench for three hours is going to cause me some serious problems. You may have to help me up", Jeff replied.

Nick laughed, standing up once more. "Get up, lazy". He held his hand out to Jeff to help him up. Jeff reached up to grab the hand, and Nick froze. When their hands touched he'd felt something. Something like… electricity?

_Don't be stupid, Nick_, he's just your friend.

Jeff hadn't seemed to notice, and was now patting down his pants to get rid of any crumbs. He swung the thick black jacket over his shoulder.

"You could be a model", the words left Nick's mouth before he could stop them. He couldn't help it though; Jeff really looked like a model with the hat covering his face and the shoulder hanging lazily over his shoulder. Nick felt himself go red as Jeff looked at him with an amused look on his face.

"Falling for my good looks already, Duval?" Jeff winked and chuckled light-heartedly. He bounded down the steps that led down to the third-class deck.

"Oh shut up, you were practically posing!" Nick cried, getting another laugh from the blonde ahead of him.

"Hurry up would you? There are some people I want you to meet!" Jeff called out behind him. Nick wasted no time in following Jeff down the steps. Who was he about to meet?

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Kurt lay back in one of the decidedly more comfortable chairs in one of the lounges. Well, it wasn't really comfortable, just a little more padded than the others. He and Blaine had arrived at the lounge at about two in the afternoon, only to find it near empty. Apart from a couple of men playing cards at one of the big, round tables, and a few women sewing and knitting in the corner, the lounge was nearly deserted. Kurt had immediately wanted to take advantage of the peace and quiet.

However, it was short-lived. Only an hour after he and Blaine had arrived Jeff had come sprinting into the lounge, dragging another person with him.

"Guys!" The blonde had called. Blaine had called out to catch his attention, and Jeff came rushing over, stranger in tow.

"This is Nick", Jeff explained. The stranger waved awkwardly and shuffled his feet.

"Don't be shy", Blaine spoke up from the chair next to Kurt. "We don't bite. I'm Blaine", he offered a hand for a man to shake, and smiled when it was.

"I'm Nick", the stranger replied.

"And I'm Kurt", Kurt also shook Nick's hand. "So what brings you to our lovely little part of the ship? Seeing as it is quite clear that you're first-class".

"Jeff brought me down here, saying something about me having to meet you guys", Nick replied, sitting down on a couch nearby.

"Well it's very nice to meet you", Blaine said. "Sorry there isn't much going on. Everyone seems to be up on the decks enjoying the sun".

"Why don't you join them?" Nick asked.

"Because Kurt over here insists that he burns so quickly that even five minutes in the sun will turn him into a tomato, but I know that isn't true", Blaine teased, poking Kurt in the shoulder from his slumped position in his chair.

"I do burn! You've seen in!" Kurt cried. He turned to Nick. "Don't listen to him. I'm like a vampire, I don't deal with sunlight well".

Nick chuckled. "I love the sun, it's nice to get out every now and then as well. Plus, the weather in England isn't the best in the world".

"True, I suppose. I'd need a parasol or something though", Kurt replied, causing Blaine and Nick to burst into laughter.

"What did I miss?" Jeff interrupted, carrying two glasses of beer in his hands.

"Drinking already Jeff? It's not even dinner yet", Kurt grinned.

"You're one to talk! You drink and smoke enough for all of us", Jeff shot back, handing one of the beers to Nick, who took it gratefully.

"And eats enough too", Blaine added. Jeff snorted.

"Where did David get to?" He asked.

"I think he's in the room, taking a nap or something", Kurt replied. "Does anyone have any paper? I want to write to my Dad".

"I think there was some in the room", Blaine replied. "I'll check for you later".

"Thank you", Kurt smiled at his friend.

Jeff raised an eyebrow at Nick as if to say 'see? That's not platonic'. Nick had to agree. There was something in the pair's eyes when they looked at each other. It was something that ran deeper than friendship.

_I want that…_ Nick thought.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Joanna couldn't really blame her son for not coming back to the suite all day. It was practically hell on the best of days. Nicholas was treated absolutely awful by his father. So badly that she wouldn't even call him Nicholas' father anymore. She was sickened by how her husband acted.

_Husband_, she scoffed. _That man is not my husband. The man I married was different. He's changed._

Joanna stood in front of the full-length mirror, Annie pulling at her corset behind her.

"Is everything alright, ma'am?" The young girl asked.

"Fine, Annie. Not too tight sweetheart, I'm in the mood for a big meal tonight", Joanna replied, Annie chuckling lightly behind her.

Joanna felt for Annie, she really did. Mr Montgomery's son, Wes, had approached her and told her that he thought Annie looked a little bit lonely. He told her about the family she used to work for. Joanna felt awful, she'd never reached out to the girl.

"Annie, dear, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?" Joanna heard herself asking.

The young girl looked up with wide eyes. "Yes ma'am. I would love to".

Joanna smiled. "Good, we'll have to find you something to wear. Emily's about your size, I'm sure we can find something".

Joanna was sure she saw something close to tears in Annie's eyes, but she brushed it off. Annie finished tying her corset and left the room to give her some privacy. Joanna looked over her shoulder to make sure she was alone and that the door was properly closed. She slowly made her way over to her bedside table. She pulled a key out from underneath her pillow and unlocked the bottom drawer. She pulled it open.

She would protect her children. Whatever it cost her. She was not a cruel woman, and she did truly care for her son. She had felt love for her husband at one point, but now all that was left was hate. Pure, burning hatred for the man. Getting tickets for the R.M.S Titanic was one of the best things that ever happened to her. She would get rid of her husband, maybe blame it on one of the men from steerage, take her children and Annie and start a new life in America. She reached into the drawer and felt around at the back. Her fingers came into contact with cool metal and she pulled out the item. She turned the gun over in her hands, silently thanking her father for leaving it to her in his will. He never had liked her husband, come to think of it. She studied the gun, gripping it firmly in her hands.

_Whatever it takes_, she thought.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was nearly five in the evening. Nick felt a sinking in his stomach as he knew he would have to leave Jeff to go to dinner. He didn't want to, he'd much rather spend the rest of the night with Kurt and Blaine and David, who had joined them not long after Jeff had sat down. He inwardly groaned; he had to go.

"Jeff", he said, catching the blonde's attention. "I have to go".

Jeff's face fell. He didn't want Nick to go, he really enjoyed spending time with him.

"Okay", he replied. "You want me to walk you back up?"

Nick shook his head. "No I'll be fine. See you guys later".

Nick stood up and began to leave the room, but something made him stop. He turned back around and walked back over to Jeff. Kurt gave him a questioning look but didn't say anything. Leaning down, he whispered into Jeff's ear.

"Meet me where we met in two hours".

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The dining hall was cluttered with people. First class was already quite full, but with the spacious rooms and promenade decks, everyone always seemed to be spread out. However, when everyone gathered for dinner, it became clear that there were many passengers.

Nick had sat down to dinner, after the initial shock of seeing Annie in a proper evening gown, and managed to make it through all of the courses. The dull conversation had made his head pound but the thought of seeing Jeff again soon kept him going.

"Annie I must say, you look absolutely lovely tonight", Emily, Nick's sister, piped up from in between her mother and her soon to be sister-in-law.

"Thank you Emily. And thank you for letting me borrow such a beautiful dress", Annie replied, her cheeks flushing.

"I'm glad you could join us", Wes has added, causing Annie to grow even redder.

Nick raised an eyebrow. What was going on between those two? Wes had demanded to sit next to Annie at the start of the meal and they'd been deep in conversation ever since.

"I must say", Nick spoke, catching the red head's attention. "It's a nice change seeing you out of that maid's uniform. You should join us for dinner more often".

Annie grinned widely, ducking her head as she wasn't used to so many compliments.

"She's a maid, she doesn't belong here. Haven't you noticed the looks we've been getting?" Nick father spoke up from next to his wife.

"No William, we haven't, because she hasn't been getting any looks. And if she is, it's because she looks so beautiful and they're probably wondering why they haven't seen her before. So keep your mouth closed", Nick's mother snapped, causing everyone to gasp.

Emily snorted behind a napkin, causing Nick to start giggling as well. They recovered quickly before anyone could notice, and froze when they saw the look on their father face.

"Joanna, don't be so disrespectful. I am your husband", he spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'm not the disrespectful one William, now kindly shut up and finish your meal", Nick's mother quickly replied and turned away from her husband.

The conversation quickly moved on, and soon enough the meal was over. Nick glanced at his watch. Ten minutes to seven.

"Well gentlemen, I think it's time we started on the whisky and cigars. Follow me", Nick's father stood up, Wes and his father following suit. Nick stood up as well.

"Joining us, Nicholas?" His father smirked.

"No, I'd rather not", Nick shot back. "I'm taking a walk, and I don't expect anyone to wait up for me".

He walked swiftly around the table to drop a kiss on his mother's cheek. "Goodnight", he whispered.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The night air was much cooler than it was during the afternoon. Jeff pulled his borrowed black jacket closer around him. He inhaled deeply, noticing how much the jacket smelt like Nick. He smiled to himself. The sky was clear and the stars were on full view, and the sea was relatively calm. Jeff sighed at the serenity of it all.

"Boo", came a voice from behind him. He turned around, greeted by the sight of his new friend.

"Scary", Jeff replied. "So is this like, our place now?"

Nick walked closer to Jeff. "If you want it to be", he spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the calmness of the atmosphere.

"That'd be nice", Jeff replied. "It's cold".

Nick nodded in agreement. "Do you want to go inside? No one's inside my suite at the moment, I'm sure no one would mind if we dropped by".

"What if we get caught?" Jeff asked; he didn't really feel like facing Nick's father, not after the things he'd heard about the man.

"Then I introduce you as my new friend and we run", Nick grinned, but Jeff wasn't smiling. "What?"

"I don't want to get you into trouble", Jeff replied.

Nick shook his head. "You won't. My mother loves anyone who's nice and my sister likes anyone attractive. You wouldn't do that bad".

Jeff chuckled. "Well, I have been told that I should be a model".

Nick flushed. "I wasn't thinking and you were practically posing. Don't let it go to your head".

"Too late", Jeff laughed. "I understand, don't worry. Let's go to your suite. It's near freezing".

Nick nodded and began to step away from the railing at the edge of the deck. "Come on, it's this way".

The walk to his suite wasn't actually that long, but making sure he didn't run into anyone he knew slowed Nick down. It wasn't that he was ashamed of Jeff, not at all, but a lot of the people his family were 'friends' with wouldn't approve of his new third-class friend.

Thankfully, the pair managed to make it to the suite without bumping into anyone, and much to their luck, the suite was empty.

"Wow", Jeff entered the room with a shocked look on his face. "This is fancy. Oh I like this".

Nick chuckled. "You get used to it. The worst thing is, this isn't the fanciest place I've stayed in".

Jeff froze. "What's the fanciest place you've stayed in?"

"I won't say the name, but it had solid gold door handles"

Jeff groaned. "What about these door handles?"

"They're just metal I think, although the curtains rails are made from silver".

"Can I steal your curtain rails?" Jeff asked with wide eyes. Nick doubled over laughing.

"Well that's not a sentence you hear every day", he wiped a tear from his eye. "Come on, I have something to show you".

Nick gestured for Jeff to follow him into another room. Jeff followed without hesitation, and gasped at what he saw.

"Oh wow…"

The room itself was rather small, and quite intimate. Jeff's heart began to pound, the reality of being alone with Nick in a deserted suite hitting him.

In the corner of the room sat a huge grand piano. It was sleek and black, the white keys contrasting against it beautifully. The light from the lamp on the wall beside it reflected off the top. It was amazing.

"Teach me how to play?", Jeff said, moving over to the piano.

Nick smiled. "Sure, sit down". He walked up behind Jeff and sat the blonde down. He looked over the blonde's shoulder, taking his friend's hand and positioning it on the keys. He reached around Jeff and played a short melody with his right hand, his left hand still on top of Jeff's. Jeff swallowed, trying to control his heartbeat.

_What is this man doing to me?_ He thought.

The feeling of Nick wrapped around him felt so right and he had to force himself not to whimper. He listened to the melody that Nick was playing, watching how the man's finger's moved across the keys.

"Now you try", Nick murmured.

Jeff made a feeble attempt to imitate Nick's playing. He wasn't too far off; it sounded a little bit like what Nick had played, but it wasn't the same. He heard Nick's tinkling laugh in his left ear.

"That's not right…" Nick sang into the blonde's ear.

"No it's not" Jeff whispered in reply. His heart was beating rapidly, thumping against his ribcage. Cautiously, he turned his head ever so slightly to the left, trying not to gasp at how small the gap was between his and Nick's faces.

In the corner of his eye, Nick saw Jeff turn his head to the right. His heart was pounding and his hands were shaking. He barely knew the man, how could this be happening? Nick wouldn't deny it, he was attracted to Jeff, and he loved his personality, but he was scared. What if Jeff didn't feel the same?

They were now face to face and could feel each other's breath on their faces. Nick moved to sit on the piano bench next to Jeff without increasing the distance between them. Their hands were still intertwined. Their eyes locked for a second before Nick's eyes flickered to Jeff's lips. He looked back up, realising that they were leaning forward, closer and closer…

Until their lips met.

They were both still for a second before something in Nick snapped, and he pulled Jeff closer to him. He could feel every inch of the blonde pressed up against him, and he inwardly cheered when he felt Jeff let go of his hand and move it to Nick's hair. Nick wound an arm around Jeff's waist and kissed him furiously. They'd barely known each other two days, how did this feel so right?

Nick's lips moved over his, more softly than a moment ago, and Jeff whimpered as he felt Nick's grip get stronger around his waist. They were so close to each other. Jeff could feel his lungs beginning to burn and he reluctantly pulled away. Both men stared at each other.

"Oh…" Nick breathed, not making any move to release Jeff.

"You kissed me", the events slowly caught up with Jeff's mind, and he backed away with a shocked look on his face. Where would he and Nick stand now? "Shit Nick, you actually kissed me".

"You kissed me back", Nick replied, focusing his gaze on his lap. Didn't Jeff feel the same?

"Oh man, this is bad Nick. This is so, so bad", Jeff began to pace the length of the room. Nick looked up and began to follow the blonde with his eyes.

"You don't feel that way?" Nick whispered brokenly. He knew he'd made a mistake.

Jeff stopped for a second and whirled around to face Nick properly. He took in Nick's crestfallen expression and his gaze softened. "I don't know what I feel Nick, but we can't".

"Says who?" Nick looked Jeff straight in the eye. "Who says Jeff?"

"Your parents, half, no, _most_ of the people on this ship! What were we thinking? We can't do this", Jeff was defeated, of course he cared about Nick, and he felt that there was something between them that other friends didn't have, but it was too risky.

"I don't care what anyone thinks, Jeff I just want you!" Nick cried, standing up from the small piano bench. "And you want me too".

"Oh really?" Jeff replied. "And how could you possibly know that?"

"Because", Nick stalked closer to Jeff. "I see it in your eyes, it's the same look that Kurt and Blaine share. Don't deny it", he added as Jeff opened his mouth to interject. He took Jeff's hand. "We have something. I could feel your heartbeat when we kissed. It was beating so fast. So please, tell me the truth. Do you have feelings for me?"

"I don't know", Jeff repeated. "Okay I'll admit that I feel something, but we_ can't. _You'd lose everything".

"I don't care. I don't want half of the things I've got anyway", Nick cried. "Please, Jeff".

"We _can't_", Jeff tore his hand away from Nick's and began to back out of the room. "I'm sorry Nick, but I can't do this to you. I'm sorry".

Nick felt his stomach drop as Jeff backed out of the room and out of sight. After a few seconds he heard the door of the living room area slam. Jeff had left. He slowly sank to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest and letting out a sob.

_I've ruined everything_, he thought helplessly.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The men's small room was quiet; Blaine was snoring softly in the bunk below Kurt, David still hadn't returned from the lounge and Jeff and Kurt were lay silently on the top bunks. The lack of usual chatter and noise was peaceful, and Jeff had been able to think.

The kiss with Nick had really been the only thing on his mind lately. Did he want to start a relationship with Jeff? It was bad enough that they were from different classes, never mind the fact that they were both men. It was a lost cause, and Jeff was absolutely, completely _fucked_. He didn't know what to do, and truth be told, Jeff was at the end of his tether. He truly cared for Nick, more than anyone he'd ever met, but the pressure was getting to Jeff. What would happen if they started a relationship? Would they have to keep it a secret? How would they even manage to keep it hidden away from the world?

_I'm not risking my heart over this. I've barely known him three days. I don't want to get hurt_, Jeff though. _I don't want Nick to get hurt._

He could tell Nick that it just wouldn't work and they should keep their distances, but he was weak. And it wasn't that he didn't care about Nick. In fact, he did, very much so. The first time he'd seen him he had been drawn to his dark, mysterious eyes and smile that could light up a room.

_Jeff, you sound like you belong in a cheesy romance novel. Get a grip, _muttered the voice in his head. It sounded a lot like Kurt recently…

Speaking of Kurt, Jeff rolled over onto his side so he was facing into the room. He could see that Kurt wasn't asleep; the brunette's glassy eyes were blearily blinking up at the ceiling. He was falling asleep, Jeff realised. He probably shouldn't have disturbed the man, but the words seemed to roll off his tongue before he could stop them.

"You and Blaine aren't just friends are you?" Jeff watched as Kurt closed his eyes and released his breath.

"No", came the whispered reply. "Is that a problem?"

Jeff pushed himself up onto his elbows. "No of course not. I… I think we're actually in the same boat", he replied quickly. "No pun intended", he added when Kurt smirked at him from across the room.

"It's Nick, isn't it?" Kurt replied, rolling over to face his friend.

Jeff reluctantly nodded. "We kissed".

Kurt's eyes widened. "Jeff! You can't!"

"I know, I told him. But I can't stop thinking about him", Jeff whined. "Kurt, help me. How do you and Blaine do it?"

"By being in the same class and keeping it very, very low key", Kurt whispered back furiously. "But Nick is from a very well-known family. People will talk if he just skips off into the sunset with another man!"

"I know Kurt. Don't you think I've thought about this? You're not making this any easier for me", Jeff cried.

Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry. But there's so much at risk here. You would have to be incredibly careful. Blaine and I noticed that something was going on, and while other people might not just yet, it won't take long for them to catch on".

"He has a fiancé", Jeff replied. "I don't like her".

"Do you love him?" Kurt whispered after a moment's silence.

Jeff paused. "I think I do".

"Then do what you think is right. You obviously care about him. If you think not having a relationship with him would be best, then maybe you should consider just being friends", Kurt replied. Jeff averted his eyes as they started to sting. "But if you really want him, then fight for him. I understand Jeff. I would go to the ends of the earth and back for Blaine. I truly love him, but it's so hard. We can't show any affection in public, we can't get married, and it's even hard to find a home to share with him, even under the illusion that we're just friends who work with each other. Just keep that in mind, I don't want you getting hurt".

Jeff looked back up at Kurt, smiling softly. "Thank you Kurt".

"You're welcome", Kurt replied. "You know I'm here for you when you need me".

"You too Kurt", Jeff rolled onto his back. "Goodnight Kurt".

"Good night Jeff".

* * *

**If you stuck around until the end, good for you. Well done, you deserve a cookie! Thank you for reading, I really would appreciate some feedback as well. So go on, review. You know you want to... :)**


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